as the Sultan of Bahrein, the
Conservative Party and Raymond Chandler, whose will he
drafted. There have been many lawyer-authors, but few have achieved such eminence in both
the legal and literary fields. Yet It is his reputation for writing readable, varied and
often witty crime novels and short stories that is likeliest to endure. Gilbert has often put his pro-fessional knowledge to effective use, most famously in Smallbone Deceased (1950), a mystery with a wonderfully evoked setting in an old-fashioned solicitors' office. It was one of six novels to feature Chief Inspector Hazlerigg, but the most memorable character Is Henry Bohun, a para-insomniac lawyer. Thereafter Bohun only appeared in short stories, three of which can be found in Stay Of Execution and Other Stories Of Legal Practice (1971), an enjoyable anthology which was unfortunately not published in the United States. Death Has Deep Roots (1951), another Hazlerigg novel, combines a gripping account of the trial for murder of a young French woman with the exploits of young Nap Rumbold, who works for the firm of solicitors defending her, as he tries to uncover the truth behind the crime of which she is accused. In The Crack In The Teacup (1966), another engaging young solicitor uncovers corruption in local government, while Flash Point (1974) in part narrated by an employee of the Law Society (the professional body representing solicitors in England and Wales), recounts the campaign of a maverick lawyer to discredit a union boss turned politician. Jonas Pickett, a veteran solicitor who has a minor role in The Long Journey Home (1985) appears in nine stories collected together in the ironically entitled Anything For A Quiet Life (1990). Having left London for a new life in a small Sussex resort, Jonas soon acquires an interesting set of clients, ranging from a retired admiral to the queen of the gypsies, whilst his caseload involves him not only in a search for treasure but also in an encounter at gun point with terrorists. The Queen Against Karl Mullen (1991) is more serious in mood. A novel about the games lawyers play, it traces the evolution of an accusation of shop lifting into a charge of murder. The solution to the mystery is clever and unusual, but it is Gilbert's insight into the darker corners of legal life that makes the book -- published when he was 79 -- arguably his best, although strangely It did not receive the extensive attention from reviewers and enthusiasts of the genre that it deserved.
Yet It would be a mistake to think that all Gilbert's best work is concerned with the law. The Danger Within (published in the UK as Death In Captivity, 1952) is a classic account of murder in an Italian prisoner of war camp during World War II which was successfully filmed by Don Chaffey. The Country-House Burglar (published in the UK as Sky High, 1955) is a light-hearted tale of amateur detection, The Ninety-Second Tiger (1973), a breezy thriller featuring the exploits of an out of work actor in the Middle East and Be Shot For Sixpence (1956) one of several books which illustrate Gilbert's interest in espionage. The short stories about Daniel John Calder and Samuel Behrens, amiable elderly gentlemen who happen to be 'highly effective counter-intelligence agents, have been compared in quality to Somerset Maughan's famous tales about Ashenden; the tales are collected in Game Without Rules (1967) and Mr. Calder and Mr. Behrens (1982).
Gilbert also excels at stories of police work. Hazlerigg appeared in his first six novels, starting with Close Quarters (1947), as well as in many stories. The fictional career of Patrick Petrella has lasted almost forty years The first Petrella short story (in which his first name was said to be Peter) was
published in 1956; thus began a long series' of
stories, many of which are collected in Petrella At Q (1977) and Young
Petrella (1988). Until recently, the only novel in which he featured was Blood
And Judgement (1959). However, Petrella reappeared in Roller-Coaster
(1993), which also renewed our acquaintance with Wilfred Wetherall, the headmaster-hero of
Far To Tread (1953). Mercer and Charlie Knott, the tough policemen whose
personalities dominate The Body Of The Girl (1972) and The Killing Of
Katie Seelstock (published in the UK as Death Of A Favourite Girl 1980)
respectively, are in their way as distinctive as Petrella, even if they cannot match him
for staying power. Despite his willingness to use recurring characters, Gilbert has for most of his career preferred to concentrate on variety, rather than seeking to build a long-running series. This may explain why, despite all the acclaim (including Grand Master awards in France, Sweden and the USA) which has come his way over the years, some of his novels, including the marvellous The Night of the Twelfth (1976) -- which features Gilbert's most chilling killer -- and The Case Against Karl Mullen, have not received quite as many accolades as they deserve. Regrettably, too, his UK publishers seem to have lost interest in his work. Ring of Terror (1995) had a very small print run and at the time of writing Into Battle was only due to be published in the U.S. Both books, which feature Luke Pagan, are worthy of greater interest. Admirers of his celebrated novels of the 1950s such as Smallbone Deceased, Death Has Deep Roots and The Danger Within who have not yet caught up with his more recent works such as Roller-Coaster -- undoubtedly have a treat in store.
Article originally appeared in Deadly Pleasures
